This might be a silly question but...I wonder how cotter pins were spread by manufacturers when machines like ours were made? Were both sides bent around the axle or whatever shaft they were used on? Was only one side bent around? If so, which one, the long side or the short side? How long should the right pin be? Twice the diameter of the shaft, less or more? Did it vary from one manufacturer to another, or is there a "RIGHT" way? Maybe someone on here is a mechanical engineer and can say for sure. All my junk has been worked on so much none of the pins are factory and a lot of them have been replaced with nails or pieces of wire.Like I said , silly question , maybe, but inquiring minds gotta know. Thanks.

Bending both sides will keep a pin from turning and rubbing in close spaces like inside a dust cap. If it's a low vibration and tension situation and the pin needs to be removed often, only open one side of the pin about 45º for easier multiple uses. On a rod application the bent pin arms should reach at least 3/4 around the pin. This is mid 50's auto shop knowledge and may be obsolete by now. Most everything I thought I knew, today is obsolete!

I was taught for trailer bearings to bend the longer end toward you and tap it flat against the end of the spindle. Then, snip off the shorter one. Guy I worked for in college in Mlps said that's how he could tell I must have grew up on a farm. Farm boys got to start out at $1 per hour more than the city slickers.

Bending both sides will keep a pin from turning and rubbing in close spaces like inside a dust cap. If it's a low vibration and tension situation and the pin needs to be removed often, only open one side of the pin about 45º for easier multiple uses. On a rod application the bent pin arms should reach at least 3/4 around the pin. This is mid 50's auto shop knowledge and may be obsolete by now. Most everything I thought I knew, today is obsolete!

The knowledge is not obsolete. It is just not popular in our throw away society. I have a nineteen year old who is about to graduate in nuclear engineering. I show him some of the old ways to do things on machines and some of my 45 year old tool collection and what they do. HE is very bright and I explain things the old(rational) ways and compare to the current methods. He usually laughs and has trouble with understanding why standards have been reduced. I hope he and other interested young people will treasure the "obsolete" knowledge that we old guys have. If our fragile economy takes a tumble people will have to learn to maximize what they get out of their belongings. The old knowledge will be very valuable then.

Bending both sides will keep a pin from turning and rubbing in close spaces like inside a dust cap. If it's a low vibration and tension situation and the pin needs to be removed often, only open one side of the pin about 45º for easier multiple uses. On a rod application the bent pin arms should reach at least 3/4 around the pin. This is mid 50's auto shop knowledge and may be obsolete by now. Most everything I thought I knew, today is obsolete!

I agree with Harold as this is right. I tend to buy Cotter pins long and clip them as needed.

I'm detecting a bias against Left Handed and am mildy offended. Remeber Left Handed People are in their Right Mind.

BTW: How many remeber the old Mopars, With Righthanded thread Lug Nuts on one side and left handed on the other, so they would not work loose due to ratation direction??

BTW: How many remeber the old Mopars, With Righthanded thread Lug Nuts on one side and left handed on the other, so they would not work loose due to ratation direction??

I've seen people twist many lug nuts off because of that. The older semis with bud wheels are still a pain. The inner nut seems to always come off with the outer nut on the left side. IMO I think they still work loose just as easy.